Steam-trap



(Nb Model.)

A. B. LEITH & B. HAMPTON.

STEAM TRAP.

No. 450,415. I Patented Apr. 14,1891.

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UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFI E.-

ALEXANDER B. LEITH AND BENJAMIN HAMPTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,415, dated April14, 1891.

Application filed January 12, 1891. Serial No. 377,508. I (No model.)

To all whom it 17mg concern.-

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER l3. LEITH and BENJAMIN HAMPTON, citizensof Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SteanrTraps, which are fully set forth in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof,and in which Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section of oursteam-trap cut through the steamports,while through the box the cuttingplane passes between the float and side of the box. Fig. 2 shows the boxas cut by a transverse vertical plane which passes through the axis ofthe valve-chamber.

Like letters refer to like parts. 7

The object of our invention is to produce a steam-trap which shall beentirely automatic in its operation and wherein the main valve shall bebalanced and the auxiliary valve shall work in combination with it andalternately by means of steam and atmospheric pressure, and which shallnot be liable to be injured by frost when unused in cold weather; and inorder to attain said desirable ends we construct our said new andimproved steam-trap in substantially the following manner, namely:

\Ve provide a suitable chamber or box a with a cavity I). Said cavity isnot indispensable, but its object is to make the space which shall holdthe last portion of water as small as possible, and consequently ofharmless proportion in case it should freeze. Into said cavity 1) isinserted a hollow plug 0, adapted to be screwed to a pipe and providedwith diametrically-opposite ports 0, and over said plug is passed asleeve having ports cl fitting over the ports 0 when open, and to saidsleeve or valve is attached an arm 6, to the outer end of which issecured a float f. Steam is let into the box through the opening 9.There is a lid h to the box, held in place by suitable bolts. A ring 2'holds said valve d in its place on the plug 0. The opposite end of thesaid valve rests against a shoulder ofthe plug a. By making the ports 0'and d of equal area and diametrically opposite each other the valvebecomes balanced, and hence quite free to act by very light force.

The interior end of the plug has an opening upon which is placed a valvej, having mechanism which allows it to work properly, as three wingsradiating from the axis of the valve at equal angles or a triangularstem having similar working surfaces, as here shown, of which the edges,like the said wings, will form the bearings on which the valve iscarried as it plays. A pin or screw 7- at the end of said wings or stemholds the vali'e and its stem within the opening.

The operation of the above-described mechanism is substantially asfollows, namely: \Vhen condensation occurs, when the valves are allclosed, as shown in the figures, the water first fills the depression Z)and then continues to rise above the cavity?) and over the floor of thechamber or box, and thus raises the floatf into the position shown inthe dotted lines. This causes the valve (Z to open its ports into theports c, after which the water in the trap will pass out through saidports, which at the same time will begin to close as the float descends,and when all the water is out and the float again rests on the floor ofthe trap the valve (Z will have closed the ports, and thus continue itsoperation.

'After the steam-pressure is ended and condensation occurs a vacuumwould be formed in the trap awere it not for the valvej, which is forcedfrom its seat, and thereby allows air to enter the box through the plug0, and at the same time this valve j lets out the water which may havecome into the trap while.

there was yet steam-pressure. \Vhen steam is again turned into thetrap,tl1e air will pass through said open valve j until there issufficient steam-pressure to close it, after which the float and itsvalve will again operate, as already shown.

Through this mechanism only a small quantity of water can ever be in thetrap, and that only in parts of the cavity 17, which is of such a shapethat if the water should freeze no harm could result from it.

W'hat We claim is with stem and stop 70, substantially as speci- In asteam-trap, the combination, with the fied. I chamber a, provided withhollow plug 0, dia- ALEXANDER B. LEI'IH. metrically-opposite ports c,anda valve-open- BENJAMIN HAMPTON.

Witnesses:

WM. VZIMMERMAN, JNO. W. KRUEGER.

5 ing at its interior end, of the valve cl, actuated by a float providedwith ports 01, registering over the ports 0', and valve j, provided

